Corsair Hydro Series H90 Review

Corsair Hydro Series H90 Introduction:

When Corsair decided that it wanted to grow as a company and break from the mold of being just a high performance DRAM supplier, one of the first products out of the new Corsair was the Hydro Series H50. This self contained liquid cooling solution in a box revolutionized the way water cooling was looked at for the masses. Traditionally, liquid cooling was for the select few who were willing to take the risks of putting liquids inside the chassis with custom made parts that really were not always of the best quality. Fast forward to today and there are tons of cooling parts centered just around liquid cooling as it has hit the big time with the cooling needs of today's hot running CPUs. Overclocked of course!

Outside of a custom loop, a self contained liquid cooling solution is the next best option in terms of cooling performance. So much so that both AMD and Intel are offering their top end enthusiast parts with the option of a self contained solution. As the need has grown, Corsair has been there to deliver ever more efficient solutions from the old and new H60 to the H70 and H80 with larger radiators and finally the H100 series. Working with OEM builders Asetek and CoolIt across the series has delivered the best each company has to offer.

Finally we get the new Hydro Series H90. This revision is built using a 140mm radiator and fan to provide increased cooling across the board. Increased surface area is always going to aid cooling. Pricing is currently around the $99 mark, putting the Hydro Series H90 at a premium price point. Based on past history, the H90 should be another step up in performance over prior revisions of Corsair's Hydro Series self contained liquid cooling solutions.

Corsair Hydro Series H90 Closer Look:

The package change seen on the new H60 is used with the H90. A sliver box with blue and black accents is used to stand out on a shelf when sold in a brick and mortar location. The front panel has a rendering of the H90 with the product name in a bold font so you know just what you are getting. Support for both AMD and Intel processors is advertised as well. Just above the product name you can see that this revision uses a 140mm fan instead of the traditionally used 120mm. The back side of the package illustrates the merits of the Hydro Series H90 when compared to a box cooler running an Intel 3770K at 4.6GHz showing that the H90 is indeed a high performance liquid cooling solution. Subject to validation, of course. Along the bottom is the contents list to show what should be included in the package. On each side is information that speaks to the use of a 140mm fan while the obverse lists the technical specifications in multiple languages.

Opening the package shows that the Corsair H90 is held in place with a formed cardboard housing that holds the components in place so that each part of the package is isolated from damage. The manual sits on top of the contents, each strategically placed in the shell to minimize any impact damage. Corsair has used this means of packaging the Hydro series for some time now and it has proven effective.

The accessory bundle that come with Corsair's Hydro Series H90 includes the user guide/installation manual, a single 140mm fan, and the mounting hardware for the Asetek Gen 4 pump head and 140mm radiator. Mounting hardware is included to install the H90 on all of the current socket types from AMD and Intel.

Compatibility with the latest sockets allows the H90 to be used with just about any system on the market currently, whether its a Socket 2011 Intel or FM2-based AMD system. The H90 is suited for use with all of them.